Martyr Monument Travel Guide

The Martyr Monument, also known as Al-Shaheed Monument, stands as a powerful symbol of remembrance in Baghdad. Designed by Iraqi sculptor Ismail Fatah al-Turk and architect Saman Kamal, it commemorates the soldiers who died during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). Inaugurated in 1983, the monument has since become a memorial for all Iraqi martyrs.The monument's design is striking, featuring a 40-meter tall split turquoise dome that resembles those of the Abbasid era. The two halves are offset, with an eternal flame in the center, symbolizing life and death. The outer shells are constructed with galvanized steel and clad in glazed turquoise ceramic tiles. Inside, beneath the Iraqi flag, an oculus provides light to the museum below.The site includes a circular platform, an artificial lake, parks, playgrounds, and walkways. A museum, library, cafeteria, lecture hall, and exhibition gallery are located on two levels underneath the domes, offering visitors a deeper understanding of the monument's significance and the historical context of the Iran-Iraq War. A spring of water nearby symbolizes the blood of the fallen.